An explosion in the southern German city of Ansbach was a suicide attack, according to the region's interior minister. The bomber died in the blast. The 27-year-old killed himself and injured 12 others, three of them seriously, when he detonated an explosive device near a bar in central Ansbach on Sunday evening. Around 2,500 people were evacuated from a nearby open-air music event where the attacker, who had been in Germany for more than a year, tried to gain entry. He had been denied entry into the event due to the lack of a ticket, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said during a news conference early Monday.
The man, who has not yet been named, stood around the festival entrance for a short period before he blew himself up. The music festival and surrounding area were evacuated.
Authorities said the bomber had entered Germany two years ago and had previously applied for asylum in Germany, but his application had been rejected. He remained in the country as it is German policy to not allow rejected applicants to return to war zones.
Herrmann said the attacker's backpack contained screws and nails, an apparent attempt to inflict further damage.
He was also known to police in Ansbach for previous offenses, including violations of "narcotics law," Herrmann said. He had also previously twice attempted suicide. However, the incident is being treated as a suicide bombing as opposed to a suicide attempt.
"Because how this backpack and the bomb were packed, especially with so many metal splinters, which could have killed and injured many more people, this act cannot be purely assessed as a suicide," Herrmann explained.
The attack comes as Germany reels from Friday's massacre in Munich that left nine dead and dozens injured. It is the third attack to hit Bavaria in a week, following an IS-inspired axe rampage by a teenager on Monday.
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